Having New Garage built

16 years ago

I am having a new garage constructed on my property. Around here they are all tin sided and roof buildings. I have a choice of wood frame or 2x3" metal frame. It will have 2-9ft roll up doors. I plan to put it beside my shop which was built on cement block piers. Beside the shop is part of the concrete slab and part of the asphalt driveway.

It would sit 1/2 on each. They plan on bolting the bottom of the frame to the concrete and asphalt. Pressure treated wood or the metal.

A friend said I should dig up enough of the asphalt and make a footing because the asphalt will move.

The garage will be 20x25 with only the concrete and asphalt for a floor. I was just going to have a carport put up but the garage was not that much more and the cars would be completely enclosed.

The only thing of note is we do have high winds occasionally because I live on a bluff, although the shop which is built of wood with tin sides and top has held up fine with winds of 75mph. Although it has a lot of weight inside. The garage will have the shop 5ft on the left, a wood garage 15ft behind it and a house about 50ft to the right. So its pretty protected from the wind. Only the front will be venerable to direct winds but there is woods across the street, but will only be a shell.

Do you think I need to make the footings for the asphalt or will it be ok just bolted to the asphalt?

thanks

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Comments (7)

earthworm
15 years ago
I think that 99% here will recommend concrete, 6 inches at least.
Also, make the garage larger, they can never be too big.
Why not try a garage with a basement ?
I could be in the 1%.
If 6" of asphalt and the same of concrete have the same weight,or close, then the asphalt movement/give may not matter that much...
But asphalt does not seem to be able to stand up to concentrated pressure(floor trolley jack).
I have seen so much cracked concrete..I believe that concrete work requires much more expertise than asphalt..
larrylwill
Original Author
15 years ago
I already have a garage, that I have moved my woodworking equipment into and also our junk and about 2000bf of wood. The new one is just a place to park the car. No basement I live on a bluff and its rock about 3ft under the dirt where the new garage will go. The will use anchors for the asphalt if I request they will use mobile home anchors. They also build them on the grass. I checked the web pages of 2 metal building companies and the all build on asphalt. I'm not going to pour a new concrete pad but If necessary I could dig a trench in the asphalt part and pour a footing. Just how does the asphalt move?
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earthworm
15 years ago
Asphalt gives under pressure from the big rig tires and floor trolley jacks...it gives a lot...And then we have frost heaves. It helps to be generous with the asphalt thickness.
I think that it would be wise to use a footing...
I do believe that the metal building companies know what they are doing.
larrylwill
Original Author
15 years ago
Its just to park the car, small motor home Class B Van and the mower. I have since changed the construction to wood frame with tin outside. I spoke in depth with the builder about the asphalt and he uses ankors and said it would not be a problem. We are in north Alabama and only get about 1 week of freezing weather per year.
earthworm
15 years ago
Having done a little reading, I'd say that you are doing things the best possible way.
Best of luck...smiley...
User
15 years ago
In south Alabama, we have requirements for treating foundations...or UNDER foundations...for termite damage. And the code now requires that all new construction, even sheds and such have hurricane tie downs, to withstand winds of 110 MPH or so, which bolt the building from roof down through everything to the foundation.
Tthey used threaded rods from bottom up to the roof trusses or whatever you call those things that connect the roof to the walls etc. So sounds like your builder has a hold on the job.
larrylwill
Original Author
15 years ago
I think he's just planning on ankoring the bottom sils. I will find out Monday if I have a choice.
We live in the county, No restrictions even how close to the Property line. You can build right on it.
I am going to add some windows and I will add some tie downs myself if necessary. Its blocked from the wind at the back by the old garage, on the right side by my office building I will leave a 3' walkway and on the left by the neighbors house about 75ft away. It only gets direct wind from the front which is NE but then it has to come through the woods across the street and the trees on my property. It will just be a wood frame 16" on center with a peaked roof, wrapped with a blanket insulation and 26ga tin. I will fill the low spots between the asphalt and concrete with cement and later put down some interlocking garage tiles. They stand off the floor about 1/2" and the water can run under them since the driveway is on a 20 degree angle or so. The back will be 16" higher than the front. It will have 2 standard 9' garage doors on the front and 1 8x9 roll up on the back.